TO THE SWAMP!
After a full day of viewing historical houses I know Brent will be ready for some outdoor adventures!
Callas Cakes
Obviously we never do anything without a hearty breakfast. This morning we will enjoy a feast at The Old Coffee Pot Restaurant (8:00 am – 11:30 pm). This well-reviewed restaurant has been open since 1894. They serve something called Callas Cakes, which seem to be deep-fried, rice-based doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar and served with grits. Critical note – This restaurant serves breakfast ALL DAY. We are going to eat a lot because 1. That is what we do and 2. We are going to embark on a swamp adventure.
Boardwalks on the Barataria Preserve
Oh, this is a skink.
Jean Lafitte National Park encompasses six unconnected parks in Louisiana. Barataria Preserve is about 30 minutes away from the French Quarter and offers about nine miles of connected trails that work their way through hardwood forests, swamps and a few manmade canals. Boardwalks provide a safe and dry place to walk through the swampier areas. I am particularly looking forward to the marsh Overlook Trail which is the best place to get a (hopefully distant) view of an American Alligator. Other wildlife we might encounter includes: frogs, snakes, skinks, and armadillos – oh my! Here is a very helpful guide to all the available trails.
For our next activity, I thought about touring the Longue Vue House and Gardens. The house and elaborate gardens were built in the 1930s for Edgar and Edith Stern. The house is three stories including a basement (very rare for New Orleans). There are 14 different gardens that range dramatically from wildflower to formal. Although it looks very beautiful, we are only in New Orleans for a brief time and I think we are going to visit a plantation instead. So I guess this day will not be entirely free of historic houses… but what are you doing to do?
Laura Plantation
Laura of Laura Plantation
So instead we will venture out to Laura Plantation. …but obviously after lunch! For lunch we will look for a restaurant on River Road. Contenders include Jenny’s Overstuffed Po-Boys and Chicken Shop, Nobile’s Restaurant & Bar, and Aunt Ellie’s Home Town Cookin’. I think we will need to do some looking to make a final decision, but no matter what we are going to enjoy a hearty, delicious meal!
Laura Plantation is a Creole Plantation named for a previous owner. In the Louisiana Creole Culture the family business was passed down to the most capable child regardless of gender. Female leadership was common and equally brutal as other plantation owners. In 1936, THE Laura of Laura Plantation wrote a book about her life and four generations of plantation history. Therefore the tour includes lots of personal insight into the difficult life of everyone on the plantation. The tour includes the main house built in 1805, the gardens, the sugar plantation, and slave cabins.
Cajun Encounters
…and for the final adventure of the day… drumroll please… a Night Tour of Honey Island Swamp! Cajun Encounters will pick us up at the hotel. You watch the sunset in a small flat bottomed boat. Then all the creatures of the swamp come out… The pictures look very fun! Honey Island has its own mythical creature (since 1963) that American Indians call Letiche and Cajuns call Tainted Keitre. It is basically a smelly, gray haired bigfoot with webbed toes… I am sure the Honey Island Swamp Monster will seem much more believable late at night!
Future Vacations 